For more information please visit www.glengoyne.com www.realexcellence.co.uk

One of the City’s most agreeable new restaurants opened in March in an unprepossessing street between St Paul’s and the Thames. It’s bordered on the Cathedral side by fast moving traffic lanes and anonymous buildings but as you approach the river, the vistas are spectacular – the Millennium Bridge leading to Tate Modern across the glittering river. High Timber restaurant takes full advantage of the south-facing views with huge plate glass windows and tables on the sheltered walkway outside.

Inside there’s a large open restaurant seating 70. It’s simply decorated with pale mossy green walls, sombre monochrome paintings, rough stone floors, chunky wooden furniture and tables dressed with simple cotton runners. There’s a clue in the generous wine glasses. This is a wine destination restaurant, owned in part by Gary and Kathy Jordan of the award-winning Jordan Wine Estate, recognised as one of the best in South Africa.

The Jordans’ partner in High Timber is fellow South African Neleen Strauss whose previous convictions include Vivat Bacchus in Farringdon, the restaurant and wine bar that she co-founded in September 2003. This new adventure is not leaving her time for much else as she’s the most hands-on hostess in town, ever present, geeing up the staff, encouraging the chef, advising on wine and making the customers feel a million dollars. Forget that nonsense about celebrity chefs – what people want in these difficult times is the feel-good factor, a restaurateur that makes you feel cherished. Neleen is a natural.

The menu by Justin Saunders (formerly of Dukes hotel in Mayfair) combines reassuring traditional with more adventurous modern cooking. There is ham hock with gherkins, Forman’s smoked salmon with duck egg mayonnaise, or topside of Herdwick lamb with wild mushrooms. But there’s also piquillo peppers stuffed with crab meat served with scallop, chorizo aioli and fennel confit, or roast monkfish with brandade and samphire tempura. Great slabs of Cumbrian beef come to the table on wooden platters with scary steak knives, giant chips and superior sauces that you couldn’t make at home. Just a few puddings but who can resist the temperature-controlled cheese room with seasonal varieties and original chutneys.

High Timber has about 48,000 bottles of wine stored in two cellars under the restaurant. Thanks to the Jordan connection, a high percentage is from major players in South Africa but there are fine Old World wines too. There’s Puligny Montrachet and Mersault for the diehards, Sassicaia and Vega Sicilia for the show-offs, and ten different marques of Champagne.

The ground floor also holds a small bar with a rugged piece of wood as the counter and deep red walls. Downstairs there’s a vast space with a private dining room right in the middle of the cellars. Neleen Strauss is wine buyer and sommelier as well as manager and she’s passionate about her subject. Let her suggest wines you’ve never heard of and prepare to be amazed. Or try to be invited to a private tasting in the cellars – now that’s an education.

8 High Timber Street, London EC4, 020 7248 1777 www.hightimber.com

When Hyatt bought the Great Eastern at Liverpool Street there were fears that its quirky, design-led individuality would be smothered by the dead hand of corporatism. Happily, the opposite is true. In November last year the hotel was reborn under the brand name Andaz, and it’s about as unconventional as a global giant can be. Andaz stands for laidback effortless professionalism, roughly translated as cool. A costly refit has left it gleaming and classy, staff don’t wear ties or bow and scrape but practise a warm modern approach to service, the new casual luxury.

The hotel mounts witty events such as funky music weekends and a ‘Reader in Residence’ featuring writer Damian Barr. The Summer Garden offers strawberries, Champagne and huge screens showing Wimbledon, Henley, the Ashes and music festivals, and on Saturday 15 August will host a designer jumble sale, a must for stylists and fashionistas across town.

The bars and restaurants at Andaz all have distinct personalities and 1901 is the new incarnation of what used to be the posh restaurant Aurora. It’s a huge success, injecting vitality into what had been a dull stifling space. Contemporary design blends with the Victorian features of the Grade 11 listed room and changes the geography of a traditional dining room. The vast stained glass cupola and finely moulded ceiling now look down over a central marble slab which serves as a cocktail bar, surrounded by low seating and more formal tables.

Near the entrance is a floating wine and champagne bar while along the rear wall is a wine and cheese area. Diners are encouraged to move within the room, selecting herbs for their drinks, collaborating with the trained cheese experts, consulting with the sommelier team. It’s an easy fluid arrangement and if you wish, you can order from a bar menu of small plates instead of the more formal à la carte. Choose that if you’re pushed for time but otherwise don’t miss the pleasures of Dominic Teague’s fine cooking that champions British produce with chicken from Worcestershire, scallops from Scotland, game from Yorkshire, fresh fish from Cornwall and the Isle of Wight. The menu is studded with seasonal flavours like woodland leaves, elderflower crème brulée and rosehip sorbet.

The wine list is supervised by head sommelier Dutchman Joris Beijn who has a very broad approach to suppliers. There’s obviously plenty of fine Champagne (a delicious Gosset is the house tipple), Bordeaux and Burgundy but proper dry Riesling is selling well and there are excellent wines from all over the world. ‘If a country is making decent wines, I’ll list it,’ he says. ‘Customers are spending less on wine but they’re more experimental. They order one bottle instead of two but they’ll always go for something better and we’ve slashed the usual mark-ups to encourage them.’

So great food, good value and a laid-back atmosphere, not what you’d expect from fine dining in the City, but times are changing. Go try it.

Andaz Liverpool Street, London EC2, 020 7618 7000 (restaurant 1901), 020 7961 1234 (hotel) www.london.liverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com

A few years ago Bjorn van der Horst hit London’s gourmet scene like a rocket. Arriving from New York to head up the luxurious Greenhouse restaurant in Mayfair, he won a Michelin star almost immediately for his inventive cooking and then the next year, 2006, Michelin singled him out as a ‘rising star’, i.e. someone likely to win a second star the next time round. But there was no second time for him at the Greenhouse as, after a disagreement with the owner, Marlon Abela, van der Horst left taking most of his kitchen brigade with him.

There was then a brief flirtation with Gordon Ramsay Holdings, occupying the ill-fated site in Sloane Street that as Monte’s, neither Alain Ducasse nor Jamie Oliver had been able to make work. Van der Horst opened there as La Noisette but despite winning another star and much critical acclaim, the place never really gelled. In Spring 2008, he determined to set up on his own with the energetic support of his wife Justine who has a great knowledge and love of food alongside her business background.

Eastside Inn opened in May this year, on the cusp of the City and Smithfield. It is a large space comprising a bistro, bar, lounge, fine dining restaurant, two private rooms and a vast open-plan kitchen that occupies the central space and from which van der Horst can supervise the whole operation. He’s like the conductor of an orchestra, demanding and artistic, finding subtlety, playfulness and performance from the team.

This is a hugely ambitious project especially given the neighbours: the legendary St John is virtually next door and Club Gascon, Smith’s and Mark Hix’s Oyster and Chop House are just around the corner. But Bjorn and Justine are unfazed. They love the energy of the area and the gourmet vibe.

The great attraction of Eastside Inn is the versatile layout. You can have a relaxed meal in the bistro or on high stools at the counter. You can share a bottle of wine and bar snacks at a communal table, enjoy late night jazz in the lounge or hold board meetings, presentations and parties in the private room downstairs.

Or you can splash out in the restaurant where van der Horst’s gastronomic magic is evident in a symphony of acute flavours and presentation. The style is contemporary French but his inventiveness transcends any simple description. Choose either the three course Menu Classic (£45) or seven-course Menu Discovery (£65), both of which come with many delicious appetisers and amusing desserts, and enjoy being walked through the wine list by manager Thierry Sauvanot and his sommeliers. Just make sure you don’t have an urgent appointment afterwards. This is an occasion to savour.

40 St John Street, Farringdon, London EC1, 020 7490 9230 www.esilondon.com

The Spa At Hoole Hall, Chester

Anne Sémonin will bring a new level in spa sophistication to Chester when it launches at The Spa At Hoole Hall. Opening on 1st November 2009, The Spa will offer a light airy space situated over three floors and will feature a rooftop terrace, basement pool, Watsu pool, private couple’s suite and 13 luxury individual treatment rooms. The hotel has invested £8 million to create a truly spectacular spa.

Park House Hotel, Hampshire
Surrounded by romantic, rolling hills and open fields Park House Hotel is quintessentially British, combining all the comfort and luxury of a first class retreat with the intimacy of a country home. Park House Hotel will be launching a brand new luxury spa at the end of 2009. Featuring four treatment rooms the spa will be a warm, tranquil haven in which both hotel guests and spa members will be able to enjoy a full range of Anne Sémonin
treatments.

Castlemartyr Resort Spa, Cork
The second Dromoland Collection property to join the Anne Sémonin
portfolio, a full treatment menu was launched at the breathtaking
Castlemartyr Resort Spa in May 2009. The Spa at Castlemartyr allows guests to sink into a world of complete escapism, where both body and mind are treated to the ultimate in pampering. Offering nine treatment rooms, two of which are designed for couples seeking an extra special romantic treat, Castlemartyr is the perfect relaxing getaway.

Gaelic Beauty
A face and eye therapy designed for mature, dry or dull skin, this is an ideal treatment for those concerned with fine lines and wrinkles. This facial will firm the skin using innovative Anne Sémonin neuro-cosmetic ingredients and advanced cryotherapy to regain the skins natural youthful glow giving a noticeable lift to the eye area. The result is instantly tightened and firmed skin, a superb brightener for special events and boosting skin vitality.

Balance Resort, Austria
Anne Sémonin brought a touch of Parisian chic to Austria with the launch of its full product range and treatment menu in July 2009 at the five-star, über contemporary Balance Resort in Eastern Austria. Set on a sunny hilltop overlooking the traditional spa village of Stegersbach, the Balance Spa features 2,600m2 of space dedicated to wellbeing and for the exclusive use of guests. Having opened in 2005 highlights from the spa include an outdoor whirlpool, sauna garden and indoor pool with hyrdo jets and waterfall.

1835 White Palm Hotel, Cannes
Home to beauty, style and elegance, there could be no better destination for an Anne Sémonin Spa than Cannes! The 1835 White Palm Hotel, an iconic property situated at the furthest end of the port, has recently completed a hotel wide refurbishment. The hotels brand new thermal baths, unique to a hotel in Cannes, enables guests to experience the benefits and pleasures of sea water from the comfort of the hotel. Anne Sémonin launched a full product range and treatment menu at the spa in April 2009.

Kirini Suites & Spa, Santorini, Greece
An exciting addition to the Anne Sémonin portfolio, Kirini Suites & Spa has undergone a complete refurbishment opening in mid 2009 with a stylish new look. Anne Sémonin products and treatments feature in the chic new spa, which built into the mountainside embraces the earth and is a handcrafted refuge from the outside world. A pathway flanked by running water leads to a relaxing heated pool, a hammam, body shower and treatment rooms where highly trained therapists pamper, relax and purify.

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Dubrovnik Sun Gardens
In July 2009 Anne Sémonin launched its first hotel spa in Croatia at the new Radisson Blu, one of the largest and most luxurious properties on the beautiful Dalmatian Coast. Anne Sémonin created bespoke treatments and targeted packages for The Spa which features the Parisian brand exclusively. The Spa opened with nine multi-function Spa Treatment Rooms, including an Oriental Therapy Room and three superb Couples Suites, one with private sun terrace, two with waterbeds, private Jacuzzi bath and relaxation area.

Huvafen Fushi, The Maldives
Anne Sémonin treatments and products are launching this month in one of the worlds most serene and naturally beautiful resorts, Huvafen Fushi. Set within its own pristine lagoon, the spa at Huvafen Fushi is designed to impress. Featuring the world’s first underwater spa which offers two double treatment rooms and a separate relaxation area with the best vistas of the surrounding sea life and an additional six over-water treatment rooms, each with its own glass floor, the spa at Huvafen Fushi is a firm favourite amongst the most discerning of spa guests.

Jewel
This ultimate exfoliating experience with Black Sand from Tahiti and aromatic oils actively sweeps away dead surface skin cells, leaving skin wonderfully soft, silky, detoxified and youthfully radiant. Aromatic oils are applied all over the body to deeply nourish and re-mineralise the skin, followed by a revitalising exfoliation and body wrap. This therapy concludes with a Phyto-Aromatic full body massage, to reawaken the senses.

Grand Hyatt Doha
Grand Hyatt Doha opened its Arabian-inspired Jaula Spa in July 2009, redefining exclusivity, relaxation and spa luxury in the region. Jaula means “journey” in Arabic and Jaula Spa is designed to guide guests on a journey toward inner calm and beauty. With this in mind Anne Sémonin has designed an indulgent results driven spa menu, combining the secrets of Parisian beauty with indigenous Arabian touches. This 4,000m2 sanctuary features 12 luxurious treatment suites, including two couples suites, a relaxation area with a tranquillity pool, a health club, a retail boutique and a ladies’ salon. The VIP and couples suites offer a whirlpool, a lounging area and extensive space for relaxation.

For more information Black Card readers should visit www.annesemonin.com

Harlequin Hotels and Resorts will be building this 5 star destination resort which includes The Island Sanctuary Spa, the Gary Player Hotel and Golf Course, The Pat Cash Tennis Academy and Trader Vic’s Restaurant. Also announced was the opening of Harlequin’s first resort of Buccament Bay in St Vincent and The Grenadines on the 1st July 2010.

“This was a very exciting and gratifying two day event,” says Dave Ames, Chairman of Harlequin Hotels and Resorts. “Harlequin has become one of the leading developers in the Caribbean and this special event was a celebration of our achievements to date and the perfect platform to showcase our exciting new projects to the travel industry and media.

I could sense a changing market place a few years ago and embarked on this exciting project, linking a 5 star hotel group, top sports people and restaurants to provide the very highest level of services, lifestyle and comfort for those who appreciate the very best in life. What has evolved has surpassed my wildest dreams and the name Harlequin Hotels and Resorts stands on the threshold of becoming universally recognised as the world’s favourite hotel and resort developer.”

Juan Jose Hildalgo, the President of the Globalia Corporation whose hotel group have been appointed to manage the Merricks Beach Resort in Barbados, Buccament Bay Beach Resort in St Vincent and The Grenadines and Two Rivers in the Dominican Republic, attended along with representation from Air Europe and Travel Plan. The Spanish Consul for the Dominican Republic, Juan Paliza and David Carter, CEO of Trader Vics, also attended.

In addition, the event was attended by the Prime Minister of St Lucia, The Right Honourable Stephenson King and the Prime Minister of St Vincent and The Grenadines, The Right Honourable Dr Ralph Gonsalves, along with Members of the Government of Barbados and St Vincent and The Grenadines.

Gary Player who was a guest speaker at the event said, “I was stunned with the beauty of the location when I first visited St Lucia. This will be a pedigree development and a championship golf course which will ultimately provide a solid foundation for what will become one of the Caribbean’s most treasured and sought after developments and I am proud to be part of this exciting project”.

Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash said, “Tennis is my greatest love and I am delighted that there is to be a Pat Cash Tennis Academy at such a prestigious location. For lovers of the game it will be an opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of a fabulous sport at a unique location”.

The Right Honourable Stephenson King, The Prime Minister of St Lucia said, “This is a major scheme for our country. We have taken many months liaising with Dave Ames and discussing all aspects from tourism to the eco infrastructure. It was very important to our people that we moved into the 21st century whilst not spoiling the very nature of our beautiful island and what it represents. The country’s easy access from the UK and the USA makes it perfect for such a project and we are all extremely gratified that our hard work in setting this up, and our close working relationship with Harlequin, is now coming to fruition”.

Proclaimed as one of today’s most coveted modern luxury materials, Carbon Fibre also sits at the heart of the Vertu Ascent Ti ethos of high performance with its use throughout the motorsport, marine and aerospace industries.

Vertu has now engineered this high strength-to-weight material via new sophisticated design methods to produce the Carbon Fibre components required over a period of 4 years.

Handcrafted in England, the Ascent Ti Carbon Fibre has been repeatedly tested to ensure strength and aesthesis.

The Carbon Fibre offers all of the services found on an Ascent Ti including, 24/7 concierge giving you non stop access to the best hotels and restaurants world wide. Fortress data Security service backing up your data in the safety of an ex military bunker deep in the Kent country side.

The collection will include the Ascent Ti Carbon Fibre Limited Edition of 1500 pieces, Carbon Fibre Grip, Carbon Fibre & Aluminium Grip and Carbon Fibre & Copper Grip.

Prices range between £6,000 - £10,400.
THE ASCENT TI NEON

Designed with the girl about town in mind Vertu has unveiled the Ascent Ti Neon Range.

The Neon handsets mix aluminum and rubber with retro 80’s design, coming in a range of four hot neon colures: Pink, White, orange and green.

Offering all of the same services that you would expect to find on an ascent ti carbon Fibre handset, Vertu have changed the ergonomics of the Ascent Ti Neon, making it smaller than other Ascent Ti models.

The Ascent Ti Neon’s will be available from Vertu Boutiques from late October – prices start from £6,000.

Having decided to take time out from his TV career and get back into the kitchen full-time, Paul took over The Victoria last summer. Together with his business partner, restaurateur Greg Bellamy, he set about refurbishing the pub and dining room, lovingly restoring the original features whilst simultaneously adding some charming new ones.

The Victoria’s stunning dining room is now housed in a timber framed conservatory overlooking the garden. Here the dark wood floors, leather seating and reclaimed wooden furniture look as inviting on a sunny lunchtime as they do on a candlelit evening.

The accompanying menu aims to please all who visit, with choices from traditional family favourites to the more eclectic cooking associated with Paul and his kitchen team.

Over the years, Paul has built up a formidable list of small British suppliers, now reflected in a line-up that includes everything from Cornish Scallops and 21 Day Aged South Devon Beef through to traditionally smoked eels from Colchester and seasonal vegetables from farms across the land.

This delicious fare is washed down with an extensive and exciting wine list, specially created by Olly Smith of Saturday Kitchen fame.

Taking advantage of the locale, The Victoria also has an impressive alfresco dining area - that comfortably sits 50 people – with an outdoor kitchen plus rotisserie oven and barbeque.

Meanwhile in the children’s play area, the gastronomes of tomorrow can swing and climb whilst their parents enjoy a bite to eat and a few glasses of chilled rosé.

And for those customers who just fancy a quick snack, The Victoria’s sumptuous bar serves a range of traditional favourites including Sausage & Mash with Onion Gravy together with a range of beers and ales and a fabulous list of wines by the glass.

The Victoria, 10 West Temple Sheen, London SW14 7RT. For more information Black Card readers should visit www.thevictoria.net

Overlooking the lovely Bryant Park, this ultra-chic hotel is currently ranked in the Top 15 of 338 Full Service Hotels on Trip Advisor.com

Many hotels promote themselves as “boutique” but few can live up to the standard that has been set by The Bryant Park. The hotel is housed in the American Radiator building, the stunning black-and-gold 1920´s Gothic landmark which inspired Georgia O’Keefe’s famous 1927 painting, Radiator Building – Night, New York.

The hotel houses 129 spacious guest rooms, including 17 suites, and ten park-view terraces with 360-degree panoramic views. The interiors are equally sumptuous, with rooms boasting such luxuries as authentic Tibetan rugs, goose-down duvets, travertine bathrooms kitted out by Czech & Speake and Bose Wave music systems.

Guest amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness centre, 24-hour private dining and an exclusive Pleasure Chest in-room adult menu. The hotel’s stylish surroundings are equally matched by its standards of service.

The venue plays a key role in New York’s semi-annual Fashion Week, while the hotel’s Cellar Bar, a spectacular 3,000-square-foot subterranean haunt, hosts many private events, functions and fashion shows throughout the year. Indeed the Cellar Bar continues to be frequented by the coolest members of New York society seven years since it opened – quite a feat in this notoriously fickle town.

To crown its reputation as the fashionista’s favourite, the hotel even had a cameo in the recent blockbuster hit, Sex and the City.

Yet another jewel in the hotel’s crown is The Bryant Park’s stunning 70-seat private screening room. Favoured by studio executives for its intimacy and state of the art technology. Halle Berry, Harvey Weinstein, Yoko Ono, John Travolta, John McEnroe and Martin Scorsese are just some of those who have attended functions here.

In spring 2005, The Bryant Park Hotel reinforced its status still further when one of LA´s hippest restaurants, KOI, chose it as the location for its New York outpost. With its high-concept, pan-Asian menu and minimalist décor, the eatery has since become a mecca for New York’s most celebrated.

The Bryant Park – Manhattan’s premiere choice for metropolitan chic. For more information Black Card readers sould visit www.bryantparkhotel.com

In an area just outside the enchanting village of Oia, the Psychas family spent three decades lovingly restoring a group of 300 year-old caves that were once the homes, wineries and stables of indigenous fishermen and farmers. The result is Perivolas, a totally unique five star complex of 17 private houses perched on the cliffs high above the Aegean Sea. A tranquil oasis far removed from the stresses of everyday life, Perivolas is a regular fixture on the covers of travel periodicals, interior design magazines and travel books. It is not hard to understand why it gets so much attention. The place is simply perfect.

Fully air-conditioned, the whitewashed houses all feature vaulted ceilings, one or two rooms, a sitting area, domed bathroom and fully equipped kitchenette. The jewel in the crown is the stunning Perivolas suite featuring a spacious living area in a grotto-like setting, enhanced by a steam bath and a relaxing pool.

Although unique, the dwellings are all decorated in a striking ‘Cycladic Zen’ style. The interiors are white and bright, while hand woven fabrics add touches of blue, lavender and pink. From the stone-built benches to the walls and ceilings, everything is smoothly curved. Even the built-in beds are tucked away in round niches. There are, however, no telephones, music or televisions.

Each house has its own private terrace, the ideal place from which to watch a Santorinian day unfold, from a pale pink sunrise to a bright orange sunset.

Set in its very own Garden of Eden, Perivolas encompasses 14,000 square metres of vineyards, wild fig trees, beds of red-hot geraniums, orange cactus flowers and fuchsia bougainvillea.

The complex is set within an amphitheatrical landscape of curves stepping down to a central stone terrace with a spectacular infinity pool that flows over the edge of the cliff into the horizon.

Should the body and soul require further refreshment, Perivolas also boasts its own Wellness Studio complete with steam bath, sauna, open-air Jacuzzi and a 24-hour a day fitness room that combines state-of-the-art equipment with astonishing caldera views.

Carved into layers of earth as a cave is the massage room. Here a variety of facial and body treatments tailor-made for every guest are available upon request.

Each day a delicious buffet breakfast can be enjoyed by the pool, in the cafe or on the private terraces. From midday until late evening Perivolas’ restaurant offers a selection of gourmet salads and light Mediterranean dishes, using, where possible, vegetables and herbs grown in its own garden.

The poolside terrace offers the perfect place from which to experience the legendary Oia sunset with a cocktail and a plate of mezedes, the small Greek delicacies that traditionally accompany aperitifs.

Later on, in the candle-lit bar which opens on to the pool terrace, guests can linger over a glass of wine from Perivolas’ extensive but carefully selected list.

Reception staff is available around the clock to assist guests with any special requests. Perivolas also provides a transfer service, porterage, room service, twice-daily maid service, laundry and pressing.

Perivolas is a place to come to be pampered, to relax in style and comfort. A place where dreams really do come true.

For more information Black Card readers should visit www.perivolas.gr